46 C.F.R. § 160.066-12
Operational tests.
(a) The procedure for conducting operational tests is described in figure (1).
- (1) An “accept lot” decision must be reached in order to pass the operational tests.
- (2) If a “reject lot” decision is reached, the entire lot is rejected.
- (3) Signals from “reject lots” may be reworked by the manufacturer to correct the deficiency for which they were rejected and be resubmitted for inspection. Records shall be kept of the reasons for rejection, the reworking performed on the “reject lot”, and the result of the second test. Signals from “reject lots” may not, unless subsequently accepted, be sold or offered for sale as being in compliance with this specification.
(b) Each signal selected for the operational tests must be conditioned by:
- (1) Being submerged under at least 25 mm (1 in.) of water for 24 hours without any protection other than its waterproofing; or
- (2) If waterproofing is provided by a sealed plastic bag or other waterproof packaging, submersion under 25 mm (1 in.) of water for 24 hours in the packaging, followed immediately by submersion under 25 mm (1 in.) of water for 10 minutes with the signal removed from the packaging.
(c) After each signal selected has undergone the conditioning required by paragraph (b) of this section it must be fired as described by the manufacturer's operating instructions. The following data as observed must be recorded for each signal:
- (1) Burning time of the pyrotechnic candle;
- (2) Color;
- (3) Whether the pyrotechnic candle burns out above, at, or below the level of launch.
(d) A signal fails the operational tests if:
- (1) It fails to fire,
- (2) The pyrotechnic candle fails to ignite,
- (3) The pyrotechnic candle continues to burn after it falls back to the level of launch,
- (4) The observed color is other than vivid red, or
- (5) The burning time is less than 5.5 seconds.
(e) A lot is rejected if a “reject lot” decision is reached using Figure (1) and Table 1 after completion of the operational tests.
Table 1—Accept and Reject Criteria for Operational Test Lots Lot size Individual sample size Sample Cumulative sample size Accept 1 Reject 1 280 or 8 First 8 (2) 4 less. Second 16 1 5 Third 24 2 6 Fourth 32 3 7 Fifth 40 5 8 Sixth 48 7 9 Seventh 56 9 10 281 to 13 First 13 (2) 4 500. Second 26 1 6 Third 39 3 8 Fourth 52 5 10 Fifth 65 7 11 Sixth 78 10 12 Seventh 91 13 14 501 to 20 First 20 (2) 5 1,200. Second 40 3 8 Third 60 6 10 Fourth 80 8 13 Fifth 100 11 15 Sixth 120 14 17 Seventh 140 18 19 1,201 to 32 First 32 1 7 3,200. Second 64 4 10 Third 96 8 13 Fourth 128 12 17 Fifth 160 17 20 Sixth 192 21 23 Seventh 224 25 26 More 50 First 50 2 9 than Second 100 7 14 3,200. Third 150 13 19 Fourth 200 19 25 Fifth 250 25 29 Sixth 300 31 33 Seventh 350 37 38 1 Cumulative number of failures. 2 Lot may not be accepted. Next sample must be tested.